Random Acts of Vandalism

The other day in the Caf, I randomly decided I wanted a banana... much like my friends odd desire to buy a cake not too long ago, this was an odd decision for me. I'm not a big banana fan - and when I do eat them, they better still be pretty green. None of the bananas were my preferred ripeness, but I wanted one nonetheless. I grabbed a banana and threw it on my tray without much thought.
As I was finishing my food, I went to partake of my banana. WELL... the picture you see above is the very banana that I had in my hands - verse and all. If you're not familiar with this verse, it says:

Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"

I wanted to post about this the minute it happened, but I was waiting for the necessary words to come. Turns out, I don't really need to say much as the verse pretty much speaks for itself. I have been seeking said 'glory' for a while. I sense His power, His love and His grace so much every day, but His glory is something that I fail to grasp or feel like I would like to.

At first, upon seeing the handwritten graffiti on my defenseless banana, I was appalled. Someone has touched my banana... AND written on it. I mean really, who messes with other people's bananas?! I ended up not eating the banana because it bothered me so much and I was in a hurry so I just threw it in my bag (not such a good idea, but what can I say? I don't really think things through sometimes). I later pulled the semi-deformed banana out of my bag and grunted at the memory of my vandalized banana. But, I decided after a moment to actually look the verse up - I mean, what could be so awesome that it merited publication on the side of our produce?

I read the verse and I was like... Really God? You're just toooo funny. Doesn't He just love to awe us? To make us stop and wonder what other random things he uses to catch our attention? A BANANA! ... geez.

Would you give up your life for someone?

Most people would hesitate to answer this question. Most people would hinge their answer on who it was. Some people would vary their answer depending on the situation in which they were asked. Some people would say 'yes' but mean 'no' in every way. Few people would say 'yes' regardless of any of the possible factors. Few people would be honest and say 'Hell no.'

Where do you fit in?

Would you give up your life for your child? your spouse? your mother? your roommate? your neighbor? the crazy lady down the street raising her three grandchildren? the struggling homeless man? the pastor of a growing church? I could go on...
I'm pretty sure that as Christians we're called to lay down our lives. Not in the literal sense (at least not for all of us), but spiritually. We're called to lay down our selfish pride and pick up the cross.

Jesus came down to Earth as the Word in flesh in order to save our skin from burning in Hell for eternity. He picked up the cross for us and laid down his life.

Will you return the favor?

While you may not readily be ready to lay down your life for [insert name here], don't you think it's only right to give your life up for God?

It's been on my heart lately... the whole, burning-passion-for-God thing... I want that. I yearn for that. I want the love God felt for us, so that he gave his only begotten son to die so that we may live - yes, I want to feel that for Him in return. I want to say 'yes' to Him and lay down my life. I've given my life to Him, and meant it in every way, but my new challenge is to lay it down at His feet and pick up the cross - thus using my life in every way for Him and not for me (essentially giving up my life).

Take my life
and let it be.
All for you and for your glory.
Take my life
and let it be yours.

Take my life
and let it be
All for you and for your glory.
Take my life
and let it be yours.

so... where do you fit in the margin of answers now?

Fleeting Thoughts

Well, the best thing I can say right now is that as I begin this entry, thought is on my mind. No, you read that right... I'm thinking about thoughts. Strange, I know - however, hear me out.

How often do you have thoughts that seem to make no sense or come from no where? Recently, for me, it's been Chicago. Now, I don't really know much about Chicago, but it's been echoing in my head for about three weeks now. I admitted this to someone today, and they seemed to understand my confusion about the sudden intensity of these random thoughts. She told me how she had been walking the other day, and wondered what would happen if someone close to her died. How she would feel, what she would need to be comforted and things of that nature. After a moment of thought on the subject she suddenly began to wonder why am I thinking this?! ... The next day her good friend's grandmother died. She took what she had thought about the day before and applied it.

How convenient.

Another example: A co-worker came to our staff meeting yesterday, and with her brought a Boston Creme Pie (mmm). She wouldn't let us cut into it until she told the story of said cake. Turns out that through the day she had had a fierce desire to simply go buy a cake (which apparently is very much unlike her). So, shortly before our meeting she drove out to Ingles and while there a woman approached her with a loaf of bread and bologna in her hand.

Because of her seemingly random thought to go buy a cake, my friend was able to help a woman in need and provide her food for a while and show God's love in a very simple way.

What if we paid attention to every seemingly random thought, whether about death, dessert or cities? How is God trying to communicate with us? What is he trying to accomplish? How much smoother would it go if we listened?

So like I said... thoughts have been on my mind... wondering about His thoughts, His plans and His goals that we miss out on because we don't pay attention...

Psalm 10:4

In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Is there room for God in your thoughts?